9th WONCA Africa Region Conference

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great pleasure that we look forward to welcoming you to Botswana for an engaging and important conference focusing attention on the relevance of Primary Health Care in providing high quality community-based care across the continent.

Africa is a vast and varied continent with many different social, health and climate challenges. Whilst improving health care in our region, we are keen to ensure we improve the environments we work and live in.  The impact of climate change is most likely to be keenly felt in countries, like Botswana and others on our continent, who already experience extreme heat and drought. Regional research on health and climate change is limited and we encourage you to use this conference as an opportunity to develop ideas for climate change related medical research.

Africa is a young and vibrant continent with more than 50% of the population being younger than 25 years of age. With youth, there is enthusiasm and hope for a better future for our climate, health and communities. Family Medicine is a relatively new and growing discipline in Africa and as Family Doctors we are well placed to understand our communities’ health and social needs and to act as a voice to drive change.

Join us as we discuss, debate and collaborate to find “African solutions to African problems” (challenges) and ways to improve our own and our planet’s health. After the conference, we hope you take time to enjoy the abundant, beautiful natural environments we are fortunate to have within Botswana.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Conference Co- Chairs

Dr Claire Brockbank, Prof Billy Tsima